It’s Never Too Late: UEI Helps Single Mom Start a New Career Path

Susanna Lin was up late one night, scrolling online when she stumbled across a post about UEI College. She was at a crossroads in her life — a single mom with a daughter in college and a desire to find stability after years of dabbling and job-hopping.

So, intrigued by the thought of career training with flexible class schedules, Susanna decided to learn more.

“At first, I wasn’t planning to go back to school, but the ad mentioned short career training, financial aid options, and flexible class schedules,” she said. “It felt like a message meant for me. I clicked on it, and that simple moment opened the door to a whole new possibility.”

Today, Susanna is working toward her Medical Assistant diploma at UEI College’s Reseda campus and will soon be starting her externship in a chiropractic office. Her long-term goal: to in sports injury and rehabilitation, something that would allow her to be hands-on with patients.

It’s a huge leap forward from where she was just a year ago, she said.

“When I saw that ad, I was just looking for work. had no idea that I was about to find something so meaningful,” Susanna recalled. “Now, I’m on a journey to improve our lives, and I’m proud to say I made the decision to go back to school, even if it wasn’t easy. UEI made it possible.”

Finding the Right Fit

Prior to the pandemic, Susanna’s days were filled with work — often far too much of it.

“I was a working parent — a single mom — and I had a job for five years, full time, and was doing tons and tons of overtime,” she said. “I’ve I also done three jobs at the same time, working seven days a week.”

But everything started going downhill for Susanna after COVID hit. She was laid off, the company where she had found stability shut down, and decent jobs became harder to come by. So, she spent years hopping between roles, many through temp agencies where she did everything from office work to warehouse shifts.

The post about UEI College grabbed her attention because it addressed her three greatest challenges: time, money, and location.

“What caught my attention is that it said flexible schedules,” she said. “You’re not in class every single day, and I need to work. I can’t be a full-time student. And the location of UEI (Reseda campus) was really close to our house and also my daughter’s college.”

Available financial aid also made the decision possible.

“I just don’t have the money,” she said. “With a daughter in college, my priority has been helping her reach her goals. That left me with no room financially to invest in my own education.”

Now, several months into her education and training, Susanna said she is thankful to have an instructor, Julianne Arnold, who’s proven to be an important mentor.

“She makes everything more interesting,” Susanna said. “Not only are her classes hands-on, but she shows us what’s going to happen out in the field. She also gets graduating students to come visit us during class, and they share their own experiences from after they left UEI and their externships.”

“From the moment Susanna joined our program, I could see her determination to build a better future,” said Julianne Arnold, Medical Assistant Instructor at UEI College Reseda. “She brings such a positive energy to class and truly applies herself, not just to the hands-on skills but also to supporting her classmates. Watching her grow in confidence and prepare for her externship has been inspiring. I have no doubt she’ll make a meaningful impact in the healthcare field.”

Looking Ahead to a Career in Healthcare

Susanna is close to completing her Medical Assistant program and will begin her externship at the end of September. Her time at UEI College has gone by quickly.

“I started off at the end of February, and now I’m already almost done,” she said. “Ms. Arnold already knows where she wants to send me for my externship. It’s a chiropractic site she says would be perfect for me.”

To anyone thinking about enrolling at UEI College — specifically in the Medical Assistant program — Susanna doesn’t hesitate to offer advice.

“If you have the time, you should do it,” she said. “I even tell my daughter’s friends who don’t go to school [that] if college isn’t for you, go to a career college. I love that UEI sends people out on an externship so you’re starting somewhere. You can go into family practice, pediatrics, dermatology … there’s so much you can do.”

In the meantime, Susanna says she will continue working hard for both herself and to set a positive example for her daughter, who’s now a third-year interior design student.

“I want her to see that even when things are tough, we can still keep going,” she said. “I want to show her that her mom didn’t give up, and that it’s never too late to follow your dreams or start a new path.”